Circularity has become one of fashion’s most urgent ambitions, but with a plethora of competing priorities, it has failed to achieve the momentum it deserves. The vision is clear: less waste, more recycled content and better systems. The reality is far messier. The industry must work against fragmented standards, costly redundancies and a supply chain built for linear production.
In this latest edition of HGI Now, HGI’s head of content Caletha Crawford talks with Romain Narcy, partner in charge of innovation and strategy at the Ereks-Blue Matters denim mill, about how he is working to resolve these issues, creating programs that serve as a blueprint and providing the C-suite with the justification needed to push circularity to the top of their to-do lists.
As a board member of the Denim Deal, Narcy helped steer the initiative that produced 12 million pairs of jeans with 20% post-consumer recycled cotton over three years. Buoyed by that success, the organization is now focused on the moon shot of creating 1 billion pairs by 2030. It’s a lofty aspiration but the 60-member ecosystem is comprised of producers, brands, innovators, researchers and NGOs across 12 different countries, all determined to hit the mark — and demonstrate what’s possible.
In the meantime, Narcy recognizes the shortcomings that continue to stymie circularity, namely: the scaling gap, a lack of infrastructure and detrimental consumer behavior.
“Currently, there is a mismatch in focus. We spend significantly on ‘R’ (Research) but not enough on the ‘D’ (Development/Deployment).”
—Romain Narcy, ReMatters
To address the former, Narcy founded ReMatters, a consultancy that’s focused on helping innovators and the industry bring pilots into production. “Currently, there is a mismatch in focus. We spend significantly on ‘R’ (Research) but not enough on the ‘D’ (Development/Deployment). We have the technology; we now need investment focused on the industrialization of those lab-scale wins,” he said.
Narcy underscores the fact that innovation must be “drop in,” meaning it shouldn’t require a brand or a producer like Ereks-Blue Matters to completely overhaul their existing machinery. It’s unrealistic and inefficient, two things the industry can least afford.
When it comes to infrastructure, Narcy can tick off the needs: collections systems, smart sorting, digital tracking and an ecosystem that can move waste into value. But he also sees opportunity in both post-consumer and post-industrial waste, especially as brands face growing regulatory and financial pressure to reduce reliance on virgin materials. This coupled with a rewiring of the collective consumer consciousness around clothes and their value keep Narcy optimistic about the future of circularity.
Watch the video to gain insights into the companies that are demonstrating circular business models are possible, how circularity can fuel reshoring and the developments that have Narcy most excited.
